Two US commercial flights came under attack in Haitian airspace on Monday, sparking security concerns.
A JetBlue Flight 935, bound for New York City from Port-au-Prince, suffered damage from gunfire shortly after takeoff.
This incident occurred on the same day a Spirit Airlines plane was also targeted over the Haitian capital. The attacks have raised alarm about the deteriorating security situation in Haiti, Mail Online reports.
JetBlue said in a statement that the plane was struck by a bullet, which was only discovered during a post-flight inspection at John F. Kennedy Airport. This incident followed another disturbing event involving Spirit flight 951, which was forced to divert to the Dominican Republic after being hit by gunfire from gangs in Haitian airspace.
Images reveal multiple bullet holes inside the cabin and on the fuselage of a Spirit Airlines plane, which came under attack by gangs while approaching Port-au-Prince.
The Fort Lauderdale-bound flight was mere hundreds of feet from landing when gunfire struck the aircraft, injuring a flight attendant. Fortunately, passengers escaped harm.
There’s been a surge in gang violence in Haiti, targeting aircraft.
In just a few weeks, multiple planes have been hit by gunfire while flying over the capital, Port-au-Prince. This includes a United Nations helicopter that was forced to return to Toussaint Louverture International Airport after being struck by bullets last month.
The situation escalated on Monday when the two US commercial flights, Spirit Airlines and JetBlue, were fired upon during approach.
The incident prompted major US airlines to temporarily suspend operations in Haiti.
Amidst this chaos, Haiti swore in a new interim prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who vowed to restore peace to the crisis-stricken nation.
However, the country’s ongoing political turmoil has emboldened gangs, with the UN estimating that they control 85% of Port-au-Prince.